Union protests firing at UPS

Unionized workers rallied outside a United Parcel Service depot in Farmingdale on Wednesday to protest the firing of two shop stewards in a work rule dispute with the company.

About 100 workers marched from about  7:45  to 8:30 a.m., said Tim Sylvester, president of Long Island City-based Local 804 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents the workers.

Sylvester said UPS fired the shop stewards on Monday after they told members the local’s business agent wanted to meet to discuss the company’s plan to fire a worker because he refused to continue with deliveries on May 4 after working a 12-hour shift. The union contends firing that driver would be illegal and dismissing the stewards is illegal.

Sylvester said UPS took the position the driver quit or resigned because he didn’t complete his deliveries. “I don’t want anybody driving a vehicle if they are too tired to do it,” he said.

Company spokesman Dan Cardillo, based in Manhattan, confirmed the stewards’ firing but noted, “They had some concerns and didn’t follow proper procedure for discussing them and improperly delayed the start of the operations